Toilet flush tank trip lever construction



Feb. 16, 1954 J c, OWENS 2,668,961

TOILET FLUSH TANK TRIP LEVER CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 24, 1951 j V 1 16.5e

175356 C". OWE/VS INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 16,1954

U N I T ED. STAT-ES Ts; OFF I CE TOILET FLUSH TANKITRIP LEVERI'I.CONSTRUCTION."

Jesse C. Owens, Los Angeles, Calif? AnplicationJanuary 24, 1951,SerialNdrZOLGZfl:

3 Claims.

This. invention relates. tow water closet flush tank outlet. valveoperating devices.

Aniobjectof mypresent invention is: to provide-a valve operating deviceof the .type indicated-.Which is adapted'forquantity production andwhichis of exceptionally economical construction, and which, thereiore,is adapted for sale at a highly competitive cost, without, however, anysacrifice instrength, durability, eifciencytof ,operationease ofinstallation, orappearanceof the parts of the apparatus which areexposedto view after installation.

A i more detailed object of the invention is to.

providea valve operatingmechanism of the generalcharacter described inwhich the lever portion whereby the normally operating handle or1theoutside-of the tank .is operably connected tot-thevalveiliftingbracketwithin the tank is a suitable lengthyof strip brass of standard,stock:

size; bentat the proper places to definea lever of.-. the. desiredproportion, thus; dispensing -,With

the-necessity ofxfabricating.this portion of the. trip mechanismiromicastmetalandperiorming variousmachining. operations thereon; as isire-1 quired by more conventional forms of toilet tanks valve.-tripdevices now in common use;

A further ;object in this connection: is to .pro-. videmeans forjournaling. the flat strip .Withinthe tubular.v bore of the bushingwhich extends.

through the Wall of the flushing, tanks, andtherebynmaking ,for asefficientmockingzsupport.of. the lever as; though the pivot portiomwereof. cylindrical.;formin accordance with: common practice;

Asfurther detailed object, is to. provide im.-., proved means-forattaching the valveyoperating brackettoythe lever insuch-a manner thatbind-.3 inglqofrthe parts and consequent; interference with 'properfunctioning, of: .the. valve are =;effec-= tively prevented.

The-invention possesses other objects aandieatures of advantage, some ofwhich,.with the foregoing will be set forthin theiollowing descrip tionof the preferred form of my invention which, is illustrated-in the idrawings accompany-, ingiand forming partof the specificationzlt is tobe understood that. I do not limit. myself to the showing made bythesaid drawingsiand-description; as I may adopt variations of the prev-1,rerrediorm within the. scope. of .myinvention-as.

t sf rth; in thezcla ms,

Referring.v to the: drawings; Figure. .1 is a new taken; inzhorizontal.sectiomthroueh a portionof.

the. frontmwall of; a water. :closet. rfiushntankiand. showinguimxtomplan, a .svahtea operatingprdeviceroperably installed s thereupon,portions of the showing of the. operating device being broken awayandshowninv section the better to reveal constructional. detailsthereof.

Figure. 2 is an enlargedview in transverse, vertical section taken uponthe line 22 of Figurel, with the direction of vie-w asindicated.

Figure. 3 is an elevational ,view of the inner.

end of themounting bushing which may be con.- sidered a vertical,sfietionalwview taken upon the line. 3- 3-of Figure:2, withtheidirection of view. as indicated, a portion-otthe figure being brokenaway: and shown. in. section;

Figure l a is avertical, sectional view taken upon the lined-Jot Figure-2, with the direction of 8 and an enlarged-headS on the outer endthereof isdisposed. withits body portion 8 extending through asuitableopening H in the front wall 6 of thefiushrtankso as to dispose the undersurface of. the head-9 in contact with the outer.

surface 01' the wall: 6 against which it is tightened by means-of; a nut12 threaded upon the inner end. of thesbodymortion 8, exterior threadsI3 being ,providedupon the body portion 8 for that purpose. Preferably,both the bushing Z and thenut .l2 are composed of suitablenon-corrodible-material such as the relatively inexpensive castmetal-commonly employed for such purposes. It-is evident-, therefore,that the bushing 1 is firmlyattached to the wall E5, rigid there with.so that it provides an adequate, stationary support for the operatinglever Id of the trip. lever whichcohstitutesan important portion of mypresent. invention.v

In order toiacilitate. holding the bushing 7 against .rotation whilathenut .12 is being tightened thereonpl prefer to. provide a non-circularportion ll; on-,the tubular body portion 8 of thebushingaimmediately-adjacent the head 9, which fits:theiholei l I 1.111the lwa llfi of the tank loosely enougnto permit: its being insertedreadily there- "intoxandzyetzxsuificientlwtightlypto prevent the bushing1 from rotating about its own axis with respect to the wall 6.

In more conventionally constructed flush tank valve trip levermechanisms, it has been customary to fashion that portion of the triplever which extends through the mounting bushing to cylindrical form,fitting the bore of the associated bushing fairly accurately so as toprovide a journal mounting for the lever. In the present invention,however, I depart from this relatively expensive procedure by formingthe entire trip lever iii of a single piece of fiat strip stock 2|,preferably of brass. In so forming the lever l6,

either before or after the strip 2| has been cut to suitable length, itis bent at right angles, as indicated at 22, and again in the oppositedirection, as indicated at 23, so as to define a lever composed of threeprincipal portions, to wit, a portion 24 disposed outside the tank andadapted to extend parallel to and spaced slightly from the outer face ofthe wall 6 of the tank, a portion 26 disposed inside the tank 6 andadapted to extend parallel to and spaced from the inner face of the wall6, and an intermediate portion 21 interconnecting the two portions 24and 26. The intermediate portion 2! extends through the bore 28 of thebody portion 8 of the bushing and is disposed with its transversedimensions extending substantially diametrically of the bore of thebushing and in a vertical plane. Being so disposed, the outer portion 24of the lever extend horizontally to one side of the intermediate portion2? while the inner portion 26 of the lever also extends horizontally,but to the other side of the intermediate portion, as clearly shown inFigure 1. Either or both of the bends 22, 23 should be formed in thestrip 2| after the strip has been disposed with that portion thereofwhich is to constitute the intermediate portion 27 extending through thebushing, inasmuch as the desirable arrangement is that in which theintermediate portion 21 of the strip is only slightly longer "than thebushing 1, with the result that the laterally extending portions 24 and26 cooperate with the associated ends of the bushing to secure the stripagainst accident removal from the bushing and without any binding thatmight operate to restrict free rocking movement of the lever about theaxis of the bushing.

Preferably at least one disc 3| is disposed within the bore 26 of thebushing, this disc 3| having a slot 32 which extends substantiallydiametrically with respect to the disc and within which the intermediateportion 2'! of the lever l6 fits fairly tightly. The circular periphery33 of the disc 3|, however, is fitted to the bore 28 of the bushing Ifor freedom of rotation therein, with the result that the disc can movewith the lever 6 and with respect to the bushing when the lever is movedin rocking movement as in performing the operation of lifting the outletvalve of the flush tank. The disc 3|, therefore, serves as a bearingsupport for the intermediate portion 2'! of the lever i6, holding theintermediate portion in axial alignment with the body portion 8 of thebushing and therefore assuring freedom of the desired rocking movementof the lever I6.

I prefer to provide means for limiting the degree of rocking movement ofwhich the lever can partake to a few degrees of rocking movement,approximately or of such rocking movement being all that is necessary toattain complete operation of lifting the valve from its seat.

A preferred form of such means for limiting extent of rocking movementis in the nature of a pin 36 threaded through the wall of the bodyportion 8 of the bushing and extending at least radially of the borethereof far enough to pass through a hole 31 in the intermediate portion21 of the lever I6, this hole 31 being slightly larger than the pin 36so' that the strip can move through the desired degree of rockingmovement before the edges of the hole 31 engage the stationary pin 36.

A preferably ornamental handle 4| is rigidly and preferably permanentlyattached to the outer portion 24 of the lever I6. This handle comprisesa hub portion 42 and an arm portion 43 extending radially therefrom.Both the hub and arm portions 42 and 43 are of hollow construction, openat the back, permitting the handle to be inserted into position upon theouter portion 24 of the lever IS with the hub portion 42 extending overthe head 9 of the bushing 1 until the inner peripheral edge 44 of thehub 42 is closely adjacent the outer face of the wall 6 of the tank.Preferably the distance that the handle can be inserted over the head 9and toward the front wall 6 is limited by a plurality of bosses or fins46 on the inner surface of the head 42. Within the hollow interior ofthe arm 43 of the handle 4| preferably a pair of columns or bosses 41are provided, each having a fiat surface or land 43 adjacent its outerend and the lands 43 of the two bosses 41 being in planar alignment witheach other. Upstanding from each of the lands 48 is a pin portion 49adapted to fit fairly tightly within and to extend through a suitablypositioned hole 5| in the outer portion 24 of the lever I6 and to beriveted over any contact with the inner surface of the associatedportion of the flat strip 24, as indicated at 52, so as to attach thehandle 4| rigidly and permanently to the outer portion 24 of the lever6.

Thus it may be seen that the arm 43 of the handle 4| encloses andconceals most of the outer portion 24 of the lever l6 and the hub 42encloses and conceals the remaining portion of the outer portion 24 andthe head 9 of the mounting bushing I.

The inner portion 26 of the lever I6 is preferably oifset to a positionmore distant from the inner surface of the wall 6 of the tank than theinner end of the bushing a pair of suitably spaced and oppositelydirected bends 56 and 51 being provided for this purpose, thus providingfor ample clearance between the portion 26 of the lever and the tankswall 6, and still leaving the short portion of the lever between thebends 23 and 56 extending radially and sufiiciently close to the innerend of the bushing 1 to serve as an abutment adapted to bearthereagainst and thus limit outward axial movement of the intermediateportion 2'! of the lever with respect to the bushing 1.

This inner portion 26 of the lever It comprises a body portion GI and anend portion 62 parallel to and spaced slightly from the body portion 6|and connected thereto by a reverse bend 63 at the outer end of the bodyportion. A series of holes 64, 65 are formed in the end portion 62 andwith each hole 64, 65 a similar hole 66, 61 is aligned in the bodyportion 6|, thus presenting a series of aligned pairs of holes throughany one portion of which the upper end 68 of a bracket 69 can beengaged, this bracket 69 constituting the means whereby the lever I6 isoperatively connected to the outlet valve (not shown) for controllingescape of water from the tank to the toilet fixture (not shown). It iscommon practice to attach sucn a bracket 09 to the lever by which thevalve is elevated by simply passing the piece of wire of which thebracket is conventionally constructed through a suitable hole in thelever and then bending the wire downwards at both sides of the lever.However, if the lever is relatively thin, the two bends in the wire andat opposite ends of the hole will be so close together that there willbe substantially no straight portion of the wire between the two bendsand binding of the wire within the hole will be apt to develop to suchan extent that efficient operation of the valve is interfered with.However, by providing the two spaced portions of the flat strip, throughboth of which the two aligned holes 64 and 6G or and 51, as the casemight be. extends, when the wire is bent downwards at the outer end ofsay the hole 64 and at the outer end of its associated hole 65, the twobends thus made in the wire will be so far apart that a very substantiallength of straight wire will remain at the top 68 of the bracket, thusassuring freedom of rotation of the portion 93 within the holes 64 and66.

I claim:

1. In a toilet flush tank trip lever mechanism, a mounting bushingcomprising a tubular shank and means for securing said bushing inposition extending through a wall of a tank comprising a head rigid withthe outer end of said bushing and a clamping nut threaded on th innerend of said bushing, a flat metal strip comprising an outer portionextending laterally from the outer end of said bushing, an inner portionextending laterally from the inner end of said bushing, anintermediateportion interconnecting said inner and outer portions and extendingthrough said bushing and rockable therein about the axis thereof, and aportion extending radially from the inner end of said intermediateportion closely adjacent the inner end of said bushing to provide anabutment adapted to engage the inner end of said bushing and therebylimit outward axial movement of said intermediat portion with respect tosaid bushing means for connecting a flushing valve to said inner portionof said strip, a handle comprising a hub and an arm extending radiallytherefrom said hub and said arm both being of hollow, open backconstruction and enclosing and concealing, respectively, said bushingshead and said outer portion of said strip,

and means for aflixing said handle to said strip comprising a pluralityof bosses projecting from the inner Surface of said handles arm andhaving lands in planar alignment with each other. and a pin projectingfrom each of said lands through and fitting within a hole in said outerportion of said strip, and an enlarged head on the outer end of each ofsaid pins.

2. In a toilet flush tank trip lever mechanism, a mounting bushing,means for securing said bushing in position extending through a wall ofa tank, a flat metal strip comprising an outer portion extendinglaterally from the outer end of said bushing, an inner portion extendinglaterally from the inner end of said bushing, and an intermediateportion interconnecting said inner and outer portions and extendingthrough said bushing and rotatable therein about the axis thereof, a pinrigid with said bushing and extending radially of the bore thereofthrough a hole in said strip of slightly greater diameter than said pinto limit rotary motion of said intermediate portion of said strip withrespect to said bushing, and means for connecting a flushing valve tosaid inner portion of said strip.

3. In a toilet flush tank trip lever mechanism, a mounting bushing,means for securing said bushing in position extending through a wall ofa tank, a flat metal strip comprising an outer portion extendinglaterally from the outer end of said bushing, an inner portion extendinglaterally from the inner end of said bushing, and an intermediateportion interconnecting said inner and outer portions and extendingthrough said bushing and rotatable therein about the axis thereof, saidinner portion of said strip comprising a body portion and an end portionparallel to and spaced therefrom and connected thereto by a return bendat the outer end of said body portion, said end portion having a seriesof holes therethrough, each of said holes being aligned with a similarhole in said body portion to provide a bearing substantially greater inlength than the thickness of said strip.

JESSE C. OWENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,653,799 Delany Dec. 2'7, 1927 2,320,912 Crampton June 1,1943 2,468,203 Keller Apr. 26, 1949 2,469,000 Pleasant May 3, 19492,497,396 Crampton Feb. 14, 1950 2,584,931 Smith Feb. 5, 1952

